Businessmen earning rent from MIDC plots to face action

Mumbai, Nov 26 (PTI) Entrepreneurs in Maharashtra who have been allotted government plots on concessional rates for industrial activity but have given them on rent to third parties will have to return the property, Industries Minister Prakash Mehta has said.

Aiming to support industries that “actually want to do business” on plots alloted by MIDC, the new BJP Government has decided to take back lands from entrepreneurs who have given them on rent instead of setting up their own ventures.

Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), a government agency, provides infrastructure such as land (plot), roads, water supply and drainage facilities to people who want to set up businesses.

“In a review meeting of MIDC held a few days ago, I noticed that there are a big number of entrepreneurs who have been alloted lands by MIDC to set up businesses, but they, instead of doing that, have surprisingly given those plots on rent to third parties.

“MIDC can’t allow such people to gain huge profits illegally. Even if they are paying us the rent and not doing business, we will take back these galas (plots) from them,” Industries Minister Prakash Mehta told.

While MIDC is getting requests for allotments of plots for conducting legitimate business everyday, there are plots lying vacant for more 5-10 years now, he said. “It is our priority to make sure these plots don’t lie vacant anymore.”

Mehta said the government will deal strictly with entrepreneurs who make profit illegally, and cited an example of Andheri MIDC here to back his claim of misuse of plots.

“There is a plot holder in Andheri who has shown certain business on government records. But it has been brought to my notice that this person has given that plot on rent for a car showroom. There are many more such cases. We cant let these people make illegal profits.”

The Minister said “we will soon make a provision so that such entrepreneurs are forced to surrender their plots.”